Cooking utensil



Patented Apr. 16, 1935 t unirse STATES .PATENT orrics 'l COOKING UTENSIL James G. Portt'eus, Toledo, Ohio, assigner of onehalf to J olinv M. Boyle, Toledo, Ohio Application August 10, 1933, SeralNo. 684,596

10 Claims. (Cl. 161-16) My invention relates to cooking utensils and advantages which` will appear from the follow-I more particularly toacontainer for cooking foods ing description and uDOn eXefrninetOn O the and like in preparation for subsequent use and drawing. Structures containing the rlVentOn consumption. may partake of different forms and may be varied My invention provides a container for cooking in their details and still embody the invention.y 5

food in a` manner commonly known as tireless To illustrate a practical application of the inn cooking, wherein the food is subjected to the vention, .We have selected a cooking utensil emdirect or radiant neat given `on by preheated `bedving the invention es en exemple ei the verimedium without application of further neat to ous structures and details thereci ythat contain the food or to tno inodiuin Tn@ invention paithe invention and shall describe the selected 10 ticularly provides a fireless cooking container Structure hereinafter, it being UlldelStOOd that in which the preheated medium used comprises variations may be made without departing from a. liquid body or volume which is readily fiowabi'o the spirit of the invention. Therparticular strucat ordinary cooking temperatures. ture selected is shown in the accolnpenyng My invention has for an object to provide a drawing. 1 l5 container having means for maintaining a liquid Fig. 1 Of the drawing lllltrertes e DerSDeCtVe heat transmitting medium in Close Eind neat View ofthe cooking utensil.' Fig. 2 illustrates a transmissible proximity to the food to be cooked View of an enlarged 10ngt1ldne1 SeCtUn Of the or prepared for o, denite and predetermined utensil shown inl Fig. 1'. Fig. 3 illustrates a view period of time. Another object of the invention 0f a SeCtiOn teken elongthe piene Of the line 20 i5 to` provide means for Carrying o the liquid. 3-3 lndCa'tedln-Flg. 2. Fig. 4 HUSI'QIGS 2, ful."- heat transmitting medium from o, position of ther enlarged View of the control means illusproximity to the food after an elapse of a definite treted in Fg- 2 predetermined period of time to terminate the Referring particularly to the cooking and 5 further processor cooking j preparation of eggs inthe shell, although it will 25 A still further object of the invention is to be appreciated by those Skilled in the art that provide a container having means for directingl the remarks mede hereinafter areSubSteIitallY the Vapor heat or neat of the liquid heat transapplicable to the cooking of. other foods with the mitting medium toward the food to maintain the samev force and eliect. it has been fOllnd that J food in a Warm and pttla-tojo1ev condition over a more desirable results in tastiness and health- 30 period of time after the termination of the cookgiving 0r nourishing qualities, een be Obtained ing process. The invention provides, therefore, from eggs if the eggs are COOKed Or COddled by a container readily applicable tothe cooking of subjecting them t0 a pre-boiled or heatedv bodi eggs in the shell or corn on the cob and other of Water for a definite PerOd 0f time than Can' 55 foods, the cooking preparation or which consists be Obtained by active boiling. Consequently, it 35 largely in the subjection of the foods to hot has beenv the praCtCe t0 bring avVOll/lrne 0f Water Water or other liquids for a definite period of to boil and to pour the same over the egg which time and subsequent removal therefrom. has been placedv in a container for that purpose.VV A particular object oi the invention is to pro- Variations in amount of cooking, as from `soft -LJ vide a container adapted to receive the food to boiled to hard boiled, to meet various individual 40 be prepared and cooked together with a pre-` tastes is obtained by timing the period in which heated liquid heat transmitting medium, such the egg remains in the preheated water and as preheated water, they container having means pouring off the same or' withdrawing the egg for carrying oir the liquid medium automatically from .thev water after an elapse of time. This after the elapse of a denite time interval; the practice requires the' attention of an individual 45 said means being actuated by the liquid m-etogether with a suitable time indicating device dium. A further object of theinvention is to to insure that the .egg is withdrawn from the provider a reservoir for receiving the liquid me- Water at the expiration of the time period. The dium after `the relapse of a denite period of time' attending individual might be employing the JJ and for maintaining it relative tothe prepared said/time period in the performance ofr other food so that the vapor or radiant heat given on tasks of cookery wereit not for the fact that by the medium may be availed or to maintain overcooking even for a minor period of timev bethe food in a warm and palatable condition yond that required' results in an almost totally n over an indenite period or time. dierent taste and often substantial spoilation--- U0 The invention consists in other features and -My inventionk provides acontainer in which may be placed the egg to be cooked and preheated Water, and after the elapse of a definite period of time, the water Will be automatically carried off, permitting the attending individual freedom to perform other tasks, as well as insuring the cooked quality of the egg.

The container has two compartments or chambers located in vertical alignment with each other and separated by a suitable dividing wall. Preferably, to enable ready dismantling for cleaning purposes, the container is formed of two sections, an upper and lower section forming the chambers, the bottom wall of the upper section comprising the dividing wall of the container. The dividing wall has an opening of a substantial diameter to permit speedy evacuation of a liquid body from the upper chamber to the lower chamber. The opening is controlled by a suitable valve member which is operated by an element located in the lower chamber. The said element is sensitive to and actuated by the presence of a liquid in 'the bottom chamber and operates to open and close the opening. A port for the transmission of the liquid from the upper chamber to the lower chamber is provided and communicates with the lower chamber through one of a plurality of channels or passageways of varying cross sectional area. The relation and registration of the port with anyone of the plurality of channels may bevaried as desired to vary the rate of introduction of liquid to the lower chamber and consequently vary the period within which the said element is actuated to operate the valve member. Thus it may be seen that the port can be registered with one ofthe channels, all of which may be suitably marked to identify their respective speed of liquid transmission, and an egg together with preheated water may be placed in the upper chamber. After the expiration of the determined period of time during which suihcient water has flowed into the lower chamber, the valve operating element, will be actuated, permitting the balance of the water to iiow into the lower chamber, where it will be retained and will give off sufficient vapor or radiant heat to maintain the egg in a warm, palatable condition.

In the particular utensil shown in the accompanying drawing, the container l is formed of a pair of units or sections 2 and 3. The section 2 is located in vertical alignment with and below the section 3. Preferably the section 2 has a lip portion 5 which is adapted to nestingly orA telescopically receive an offset portion 6 formed proximate to the bottom of the wall of the section 3. The section 3, therefore, provides a cover to the section 2, the joint therebetween being maintained relatively tight, tending to prevent escape of heat or liquid therefrom.

The section 3 has an internal chamber I which is described by the side walls of the section and a bottom 8. The section 2 likewise has an internal chamber 9 which communicates with the chamber I through an opening i!! formed in the bottom 8. The opening I!! is of a diameter to permit ready and speedy flow of a liquid body from the chamber 'I to the chamber S. The opening IG is controlled by means of a suitable Valve member having a suitable head I2 and a stem I3. The valve head I2 maybe provided with a suitable gasket I4 and is mounted on the stem I3 so as to seat against the edges of the opening I0. The valve stem I3 preferably extends into the chamber 9 and is connected to an element sensitive to and actuated by the presence of a liquid in the chamber 9. Preferably, as shown, the element comprises a float I6, which is freely movable Within the confines of a supporting spider or basket il. The basket I'I may be connected by bracket portions i8 to the bottom 8. Ii desired, the bracket portions I 8 may have a horizontal extension I9 through which the valve stern I3 extends and provides in that connection a suitable stem guide. Thus it will be seen that upon an introduction of a liquid into the chamber 3 of a suiiicient depth to lift the float I6, the opening will be opened.

In order to introduce a liquid into the chamber 9, the section i is provided with a port 2S which communicates through one of a `plurality of passageways, 2 i, 22, 23, 24, and 25 with the chamber 9. The port 28 is preferably formed in the offset wall portion 5. of the section 3 and the passageways are preferably formed in the lip portion 5 of the section 2. rihe passageways may be readily formed by pressing out the wall of the lip portion 5 in a radial direction and to dimensions of varying distance from the axis of the section 2, so that the passageway 22 is of a less cross sectional dimension than the passageway 3i, and passageway 23 is less than passageway 22, and passageway 2d is less than passageway 23, and so forth. Thus when the section 3 is located in telescopic engagement with the section 2, the passage-ways will be formed by the press out portions and the offset portion t of the section 3. If desired, the location of the port 2i! on the section 3 may be indicated by a suitable legendary markk 2S, and the position of the passageways on the section 2 may be indicated by the marks 29. v

vided with a boss 23 which is adapted to be received in one of the plurality of grooves 21 formed in the section 2, and thus lock the sections as against angular movement relative to each other and to insure positive registration of the port 2o with the selected passageway.

Thus, food, such as the egg may be located in the chamber 7, and the port 2! be located in registration with one of the passageways, dee

pending on whether the user desires to cook the egg for a long or short period. Preheated water is then poured into the chamber 'l so as to normally cover the egg 33. Preferably the chamber is closed by a suitable cover to retain the heat and vapor within the chamber. After the elapse of the predetermined period of time, the float i@ will automatically open the valve to permit the water to flow int-o the chamber 9, where it will be maintained.

If desired, the egg St may be supported in the chamber 'I on a suitable reticulated tray 3?. having handle 33. The tray 3?. permits of easy handling of the egg 3S within the chamber 1. A handle 3d may be provided for accommodating the handling of the whole utensil.

I claim: Y

1. A cooking container for food, the container having a pair of chambers, one of the said pair of chambers adapted to receive the food and a volume of preheated liquid, means for withdraw- Cil ing a portion of said Volume of liquid from the rst named chamber duringv the elapse oi a predetermined period of time, an opening formed in the wall of the nrst named chamber communieating with the other of the said pair of chambers, a movabie element for closing the said Opening, and means actun-*ed upon the withdrawal of said portion or" liquid to move the element to open the said opening.

2. A cooking container for food, a wall for di Viding the container into a pair of chambers, one oi the said pair of chambers adapted to receive the food and a volume of preheated liquid, means for withdrawing a part of said volume of liquid from sai chamber during the elapse of a predetermined period of time, an opening formed in said wall, and means for controliing said opening actuated upon the said withdrawal the said part of said volume. n

3. A cooking container for food, the container having a pair oi chambers, one or the said pair of chambers adapted to receive the food and a volume of preheated liquid, means for transmitting a portion of said volume of liquid from the first named chamber to the other oi the said pair of chambers during the eiapse or a predetermined period of time, an opening formed in a wall of the rst named chamber communicating with the second named cham er, a movable element for closing said opening, a means connected to said element and actuated by said porm tion of liquid to move the said element to an open ting a portion oi said volume or liquid `irom the rst named chamber to the other of the said pair of chambers du 1ing the elapse of a predetermined period of time, an opening iornied in a Wall of the rst named chamber communicating with the second named chamber, a valve me :iber for closing said opening, and means located in the second named chamber and actuated by said portion of liquid to move the valve member to an open position relative to said opening.

5. A cooking container for food, the container' having a pair of chambers, one of the pair of chambers adapted to receive the ood and a Volume of preheated liquid, means for transmitting a portion of said volume of liquid from the first named chamber to the other oi the said pair of chambers during the eiapse oi a predetermined period of time, an opening iorrned in a wall of the nrst named chamber communicating with the second named chambeiga valve member for closing said opening, and a float connected to Said valve member and actuated by said portion of liquid to move said valve member to an open position relative to said opening.

6. A cooking container for food, the container having a pair of chambers, one of said pair of chambers adapted to receive the food and a volurne of preheated liquid, means for transmitting a portion of said volume of liquid from said chamber to the other of said pair of chambers during the elapse of a predetermined period of time, means for adjustably varying the rate of transmission of said portion of liquid, an opening formed in the wall of the first named chamber, a valve member for closing said opening, and an element connected to said valve member actuated by said portion of liquid to move the valve memb er to an open position relative to said opening and permit the discharge of said volume of liquid from Vthe iirst named chamber into the second named chamber.

7. A cooking container for food, the container adapted to receive food and a quantity of liquid, means for withdrawing a portion of said quan-f tity of liquid during the elapse of a predetermined period of time, an opening formed in the container, and means for normally maintaining the opening closed and actuated to open the opening upon the said withdrawal of the said portion of the said quantity of liquid.

8. A cooking container for food, a wall for dividing the Icontainer into a pair of chambers disposed at different relative heights, the upper of said pair of chambers adapted to receive food and a quantity oi liquid, means'for withdrawing a portion oi said quantity of liquid during the elapse of a predeterminedv period of time, an opening formed in saidwall, and means for normally maintaining the opening closed and actuated upon said withdrawal of said portion of liquid to openV the opening to permit the flow of the liquid from the upper chamber to the lower of the said pair of chambers.

9. A cooking container for food, the container havin Jr a pair of chambers, one chamber of the said pair of chambers adapted to receive'a quantity of liquid for applications thereof to the food, means for conveying a portion of said quantity of liquid from said chamber to the second chamber of said pair of chambers during the elapse of a predeterminedly extended period of time, and means actuated by said conveyed portion of the liquid operative to convey remaining portions of said quantity of liquid to the second named chamber in a period of time comparatively shorter than the iirst named period of time.

l0. A cooking container for food, the container having a pair of chambers, one chamber of said pair of chambers adapted to receive a quantity of liquid for application thereof to the food, means for conveying a portion of said quantity of liquid from said chamber to the second chamber of said pair of chambers at a predetermined volume per unit oi time, and means actuated by said conveyed portion of the liquid operative to convey remaining portions of said quantity of liquid to the second named chamber at an vincreased v01- urne per unit of time.

` JAMES G. PORTTEUS. 

